Friday, January 30, 2015

Energy News Digest for January 30, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for January 30, 2015

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Washington State Lands Commissioner Loses PUD Right-Of-Way Battle (Northwest Public Radio)

Snowpack at Record Lows: ‘Staring Climate Change Right in the Eye’ (Associated Press)

Renewable Energy Mandate Revisions Resurface in Olympia (Washington State Wire, Olympia, WA)

NRC Staff: Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Storage Poses No Safety Concerns (Utility Dive)

FCC Votes to Make 25 Mbps the New Minimum Definition of Broadband (Consumerist)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  1. Washington State Lands Commissioner Loses PUD Right-Of-Way Battle
  2. Washington State Supreme Court Ruling: Okanogan County Public Utility District vs State of Washington, Peter Goldmark, Commissioner of Public Lands
  3. NRC Staff: Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Storage Poses No Safety Concerns
  4. San Bruno: Criminal Probe Widens, Pacific Gas & Electric to Release 65,000 Emails, More Commissioners Involved
  5. Cowlitz PUD Rate Committee to Begin Meeting in March
  6. Police: Copper Wire Thieves Turn Out Lights in Newcastle
  7. Why 50 Million Smart Meters Still Haven’t Fixed America’s Energy Habits
  8. Georgia Power’s Vogtle Nuclear Plant Delayed another 18 Months
  9. Op/Ed: Community-Owned Energy: How Nebraska Became the Only State to Bring Everyone Power from a Public Grid
  10. Mexican Residents Block U-S Backed Plan for Hydroelectric Plant near Vital Community Waterways
  11. Grant PUD to Buy Three Houses to Reduce Emergency Reaction Time at Hatchery
  12. Snowpack at Record Lows: ‘Staring Climate Change Right in the Eye’
  13. January’s Disappearing Snowpack
  14. Renewable Energy Mandate Revisions Resurface in Olympia
  15. Washington State Solar Battle Heats Up, Splitting Installer Trade Groups
  16. Oregon: Next Steps on Ashland Biomass Project
  17. Offshore Wind Farm Leases Draw Few Bids from Wary Industry
  18. Vote on Wind Production Tax Credit Extension Fails in Senate
  19. Op/Ed: Allowing Wind to Thrive without the Production Tax Credit
  20. Region Funds Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance’s 2015-2019 Strategic & Business Plans
  21. Portland Developer Teams with Startup on Energy-Smart Apartments
  22. California, U-S Energy Plan to Aid Apartment Dwellers
  23. The First Super Bowl Played Under LEDs Will Use 75 Percent Less Power
  24. Infographic: Super Energy Facts before the Big Game
  25. La Center Joins Other Cities in Banning Marijuana Sales
  26. Marijuana Taxes Net $22.5 Million in Six Months
  27. Oregon Congressman Blumenauer to FDIC: Let Banks Work with Pot Businesses
  28. The Emissions Keystone Would Give Off Are Little Compared to Just About Everything
  29. Obama’s Climate Plan Could Threaten U-S Forests
  30. Biofuels’ Climate Change Benefits Questioned
  31. FCC Votes to Make 25 Mbps the New Minimum Definition of Broadband
  32. Cablevision Sues Verizon, Claims “Fastest Wi-Fi” Ads Are Misleading
  33. Rochester, Minnesota May Launch Its Own Broadband Service
  34. This Wireless Carrier is Paying $40 Million Because It Put Limits on ‘Unlimited’ Data
  35. Portland TV Station Website Shuts Down Reader Comments
  36. Crazy Like a Fox: Marshawn Lynch Making Millions By Battling with Media
  37. Can’t Say Super Bowl: Strict Trademark Gags Radio Hosts, Businesses
  38. Finances: Google Stumbles Amid Mobile Ad Competition
  39. Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds
  40. Ninth Circuit Senior Judge Arthur Alarcón, Dies at 89
  41. Mitt Romney Isn’t Running for President
  42. Hey Look! It’s Jaime Herrera Beutler - The 25 Most Influential Washington Women Under 35
  43. Pair File another Public Records Lawsuit against North Mason Schools
  44. Central Washington State Residents Say Natural Resources Failed Them in Battling Carlton Complex Fires
  45. Search for Submerged Aircraft in Hood Canal Is Suspended for Lack of Evidence
  46. Feds Accuse 15 People of Stealing Yakama Nation Scholarship Funds
  47. Telemarketer Helps Rescue Oregon Woman during Attack
  48. Shelton Businessman on National E-Payments Board
  49. Representative MacEwen Files Bill To Require Fines Levied against Pro-Athletes Go to Local Charities
  50. On Leadership: Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll Has Learned His Lesson
  51. Washington State Lt. Governor Puts Quinault Salmon on the Line for Super Bowl
WORD OF THE DAY

Sanctimonious • \sank-tuh-MOE-nee-us\ • adjective – hypocritically pious or devout

Garner was growing restless. The droning speech of the sanctimonious energy trader grated on his ears. At the words “the market will cure all ills” the audience at the public power conference started laughing and tittering until the trader stalked out of the room.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Washington State Lands Commissioner Loses PUD Right-Of-Way Battle (Northwest Public Radio)

Washington State Supreme Court Ruling: Okanogan County Public Utility District vs State of Washington, Peter Goldmark, Commissioner of Public Lands

NRC Staff: Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Storage Poses No Safety Concerns (Utility Dive)

San Bruno: Criminal Probe Widens, Pacific Gas & Electric to Release 65,000 Emails, More Commissioners Involved (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Cowlitz PUD Rate Committee to Begin Meeting in March (Longview Daily News, WA)

Police: Copper Wire Thieves Turn Out Lights in Newcastle (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Why 50 Million Smart Meters Still Haven’t Fixed America’s Energy Habits (Washington Post)

Georgia Power’s Vogtle Nuclear Plant Delayed another 18 Months (Utility Dive)

Op/Ed: Community-Owned Energy: How Nebraska Became the Only State to Bring Everyone Power from a Public Grid (TruthOut)

Mexican Residents Block U-S Backed Plan for Hydroelectric Plant near Vital Community Waterways (Associated Press)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Grant PUD to Buy Three Houses to Reduce Emergency Reaction Time at Hatchery (iFiber One News, Ephrata, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Snowpack at Record Lows: ‘Staring Climate Change Right in the Eye’ (Associated Press)

January’s Disappearing Snowpack (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Renewable Energy Mandate Revisions Resurface in Olympia (Washington State Wire, Olympia, WA)

Washington State Solar Battle Heats Up, Splitting Installer Trade Groups (Utility Dive)

Oregon: Next Steps on Ashland Biomass Project (Jefferson Public Radio, Ashland, OR)

Offshore Wind Farm Leases Draw Few Bids from Wary Industry (NY Times)

Vote on Wind Production Tax Credit Extension Fails in Senate (Utility Dive)

Op/Ed: Allowing Wind to Thrive without the Production Tax Credit (The Hill, Washington, DC)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Region Funds Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance’s 2015-2019 Strategic & Business Plans (Business Wire)

Portland Developer Teams with Startup on Energy-Smart Apartments (Portland Business Journal, OR)

California, U-S Energy Plan to Aid Apartment Dwellers (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

The First Super Bowl Played Under LEDs Will Use 75 Percent Less Power (Gizmodo)

Infographic: Super Energy Facts before the Big Game (Pacific Gas & Electric Currents)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

La Center Joins Other Cities in Banning Marijuana Sales (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Marijuana Taxes Net $22.5 Million in Six Months (Everett Herald, WA)

Oregon Congressman Blumenauer to FDIC: Let Banks Work with Pot Businesses (Portland Business Journal, OR)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

The Emissions Keystone Would Give Off Are Little Compared to Just About Everything (National Journal)

Obama’s Climate Plan Could Threaten U-S Forests (Politico)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Biofuels’ Climate Change Benefits Questioned (Bend Bulletin, OR)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC Votes to Make 25 Mbps the New Minimum Definition of Broadband (Consumerist)

Cablevision Sues Verizon, Claims “Fastest Wi-Fi” Ads Are Misleading (Consumerist)

Rochester, Minnesota May Launch Its Own Broadband Service (Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, MN)

This Wireless Carrier is Paying $40 Million Because It Put Limits on ‘Unlimited’ Data (Washington Post)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Portland TV Station Website Shuts Down Reader Comments “…It’s time to be honest about what comment boards have morphed into over the years…” (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Crazy Like a Fox: Marshawn Lynch Making Millions By Battling with Media (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Can’t Say Super Bowl: Strict Trademark Gags Radio Hosts, Businesses (Associated Press)

Finances: Google Stumbles Amid Mobile Ad Competition (Oregonian, Portland)

Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds (Consumerist)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Ninth Circuit Senior Judge Arthur Alarcón, Dies at 89 (Courthouse News Service)

Mitt Romney Isn’t Running for President (U-S News & World Report)

Hey Look! It’s Jaime Herrera Beutler - The 25 Most Influential Washington Women Under 35 (National Journal)

GENERAL NEWS

Pair File another Public Records Lawsuit against North Mason Schools (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Central Washington State Residents Say Natural Resources Failed Them in Battling Carlton Complex Fires (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Search for Submerged Aircraft in Hood Canal Is Suspended for Lack of Evidence (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Feds Accuse 15 People of Stealing Yakama Nation Scholarship Funds (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Telemarketer Helps Rescue Oregon Woman during Attack (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

Shelton Businessman on National E-Payments Board (South Sound Business Examiner, WA)

Representative MacEwen Files Bill To Require Fines Levied against Pro-Athletes Go to Local Charities (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

On Leadership: Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll Has Learned His Lesson (Washington Post)

Washington State Lt. Governor Puts Quinault Salmon on the Line for Super Bowl (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Pitbull-Dachshund Mix With Tiny Feet & a Huge Head Sparks Adoption Frenzy

Dozens of Bats Cause Mayhem in Arkansas Courtroom; Official Says Hundreds Roost in Elevator Shaft

Alabama Troopers Say Interstate Crash Caused by Tractor-Trailer Driver Pulling His Own Tooth

These Balloonists Just Broke a Decades-Old Distance Record

SONG OF THE DAY

Glen Campbell - By the Time I Get to Phoenix

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

Note that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash. However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.